in the north—east of england. as we head into bank holiday monday, high pressure continues to sit over the uk keeping the dry theme going. more isobars across southern part of england, so it will be quite windy here on monday, quite a chilly wind blowing in off the north sea. that will peg back the temperatures and take the edge off those numbers as well. but we should see after some cloud pushes in on that breeze, the cloud breaking up more and more sunshine across the uk on monday and where we have got lighter winds in scotland and northern ireland temperatures beginning to rise here but it will feel cooler across england and wales. welcome back to bbc news. for the next hour or so we're going to bring you live coverage of the sentencing of a couple who been convicted of

murdering their own baby. this is finley boden who murdering their own baby. this is finley boden who was murdering their own baby. this is finley boden who was just murdering their own baby. this is finley boden who was just ten murdering their own baby. this is finley boden who was just ten months old when he died on christmas day 2020. after what prosecutors described as a savage and brutal series of attacks at the hands of his parents. these are his parents, stephen boden and shannon marsden. the court heard finlay had sustained many injuries leading up to his death. we will bring you the proceedings when they began. we should when you we will not be able to podcast some of the judges comments because of legal reasons and to some of what will be said may be disturbing to hear and of course thatis be disturbing to hear and of course that is the bbc action line if you require it which gives you links to various support networks that are available if you are affected by any of the coverage. we have a couple of correspondence following this, phil is in the court and willjoin us outside derby crown court as and when these sentencing remarks are rounded up. just walk us through

what has led up to this moment. what what has led up to this moment. what has led u- what has led up to this moment. what has led up to — what has led up to this moment. what has led up to this _ what has led up to this moment. w�*ué�*ii has led up to this moment what has led up to this moment. “lav"isgt has led up to this moment of what has led up to this moment. “iii"isgt has led up to this moment of course was the death of little finley boden, just ten months old when he died on christmas day 2020. he had actually been taken away from his parents at birth because the papers we just obtained by the high court show that the local authority was very concerned about the condition of the home, possible domestic violence, about the couple's cannabis use and for those reasons that they applied to a family court just days after finley was born to take him into care and that is what happened. he was taken away, looked after by carers and he was only returned to his parents just over a month before he died. i should say his parents full—time care because they would see him for a day here, there, the occasional overnight stay, and the family court was involved because the question was

how long a transition period would then need to be for finley to go back to his parents. the local authority were worried, as i said they took away at birth, and a longer transition period was required, but an independent social workerfrom the children required, but an independent social worker from the children and families court advisory and support service said that an eight week period would be sufficient. herjob is to safeguard the child's interest in court, so what she said was very influential. this was a magistrates hearing, we learnt all held entirely over the phone in october 2020, and thatis over the phone in october 2020, and that is why it finley was returned to his parents and, as you are saying, he died just over a month later. saying, he died 'ust over a month later. , ., , ., , saying, he died 'ust over a month later. , ., , ., ., later. details of the case are distressing. _ later. details of the case are distressing, the _ later. details of the case are distressing, the court - later. details of the case are distressing, the court heard | later. details of the case are i distressing, the court heard he later. details of the case are - distressing, the court heard he had 130 injuries to his body, his parents as we now know found guilty of his murder. what more do we know

about his parents? we of his murder. what more do we know about his parents?— of his murder. what more do we know about his parents? we know they were uuite about his parents? we know they were quite young. — about his parents? we know they were quite young, particularly _ about his parents? we know they were quite young, particularly his _ about his parents? we know they were quite young, particularly his mother. quite young, particularly his mother who is only 22. we know they were fairly heavy cannabis users. we know that their home was in very poor condition when it finley was taken away at birth. it was described as hazardous with faeces on the floor, flies, in a squalid, revolting state, especially for a new baby. we also know that stephen boden particularly had something of a history of domestic violence. through the court case we had about how they had refused to let social workers see finley in the last few weeks of his life, they had to turn that social workers away, suggested he had covid. lm

that social workers away, suggested he had covid-_ he had covid. i'm 'ust going to interru -t he had covid. i'm 'ust going to interrupt you. — he had covid. i'm 'ust going to interrupt you, we _ he had covid. i'm just going to interrupt you, we are - he had covid. i'm just going to interrupt you, we are seeing i he had covid. i'm just going to i interrupt you, we are seeing the feed live from a derby crown court. just to let you know, because of the way this footage is broadcast, you will only see the judge giving her sentencing remarks. you will not see the wider courtroom, defendants, but he will be able to see the judge as she makes her sentencing remarks. she has just come she makes her sentencing remarks. she hasjust come into she makes her sentencing remarks. she has just come into vision and we will go to her as and as we can. like i say, some of these events and details you may hear are distressing and there is the bbc action line if you say require it which gives you advice and direction of where to go forfurther advice and direction of where to go for further support. advice and direction of where to go forfurthersupport. 0rso, like i mentioned, because this is referencing a criminal case that there may be had to chip await further legal reasons and we just had to do that now so will cross back to you. you are talking about finley boden“s of parents and the fact he grew up in a troubled home

to say the least. in fact he grew up in a troubled home to say the least.— to say the least. in fact he was not in a troubled _ to say the least. in fact he was not in a troubled home _ to say the least. in fact he was not in a troubled home for _ to say the least. in fact he was not in a troubled home for his - to say the least. in fact he was not in a troubled home for his first - to say the least. in fact he was not in a troubled home for his first few months, he was with carers where he thrived and if you have seen at the very touching video of finley playing with an adult and a cuddly toy, you can see him beaming, smiling, he was a very happy baby and as some of the family members said in their victim and as some of the family members said in theirvictim impact statements this morning, they would miss his chuckles. you with a very cheerful baby and that was because he was being brought up apart from his parents with the carers. he was returned, as we were saying, at the end of november 2020 and really his life changed quite dramatically from that point on. rather than clean, as the parents had said it was comically flat clearly if it had not already deteriorated into the same squalor as before. we talked about the nature of some of the injuries,

fractures, burns, other bruises, it must“ve been incredibly painfulfor such a small baby who no other way other than crying of expressing himself. that was the situation. he died of a cardiac arrest, not directly of his injuries. it was said in the criminal case that they could have been treated, but his parents did not seek treatment for him. ~ parents did not seek treatment for him. . ., , ., parents did not seek treatment for him. ~ ., ., ., him. we also heard during some of the court proceedings _ him. we also heard during some of the court proceedings his _ him. we also heard during some of the court proceedings his parents l the court proceedings his parents had lied to social workers, saying at one point finley had covid—19 so the social workers could not enter the social workers could not enter the house to look at their baby son. with regards to the fact that social workers were involved in a finley“s life and care, will there be any reviews of that and what do we expect to happen at there? as a child safeguarding practice review currently under way conducted by the currently under way conducted by me independent conductor currently under way conducted by t"i2 independent conductor in currently under way conducted by m2 independent conductor in derbyshire that carries out these kind of

inquiries and they have now all the papers we obtained last week via the high court from the family court hearing which are busy have some bearing on that case, because they show how the family court came to the decision it did which was to go for the shorter transition period. let“s cross now to derby crown court. the live feed there of the judge giving her sentencing remarks with regards to this case. which was more than nine days before he died. you both knew finley was very seriously ill and dying as a result of what you had done to him. yet you deliberately failed to seek any medical help for him and you deliberately made sure that he was not seen by anyone who could have rescued him and taken him away from your care. medical intervention would have saved finley“s life and

if finley had been given antibiotics and the necessary care in the minutes and hours before he died, he would have made a complete recovery. he would have been alive today. i am sure that you both knew finley was dead when you dialled 999 at 2:27am on christmas day. finley had by that time been dead for over half an hour. five minutes later, there was a very experienced paramedic on the scene. he had been told there was a paediatric arrest and when he arrived he could see straightaway that finley did not have a pulse, he was unkempt and dirty, his clothes were dirty and stained and there were dirty and stained and there were obvious marks and wounds around his mouth and nose. the paramedic

then asked both of you for a history of what had happened that evening and you both lied to him. you told him you thought finley had covid, that he was fine when he went to bed at 7pm and he had been woken for a finalfeed around midnight at 7pm and he had been woken for a final feed around midnight before you went to bed. none of that was true. finley was rushed to hospital with you, shannon marsden, and nothing could be done. many of the marks and bruises on finley“s body were obvious to the doctors who saw him and tried to revive him. you, shannon marsden, told various lies to the doctor that night when they were trying to understand what had happened to finley in the days before he died. you, stephen boden, arrived at the hospital and once that you also lied to the doctors about the final hours and days of

finley“s life. there is a standard process which follows the unexpected death of a child and that process was adopted in this case. finley“s body was examined by a variety of medical experts who provided opinions as to what they had found. these skills medical examinations identified the cause of finley“s death and revealed numerous nonaccidental injuries to his body. finley had 46 rib fractures, 12 other bones were fractured. these included his pelvis, both his legs, both his collarbones, his left shoulder blade and his right arm. the agreed medical evidence was that these fractures were all inflicted between the fourth and 22nd of

december. and they all caused finley severe pain and suffering. considerable force was required to cause these fractures. the rib fractures were caused by a forcible compression of finley“s chest. the fractures to finley“s rapes and the pain that caused him meant he could not breathe properly. —— finley“s ribs. it was the untreated infection in his lungs that spread through his body and developed into septicaemia. it was the infections that killed him. the fractures to the pelvis were caused by forceful pressing down on the hip area. the fractures to the collarbones were caused by forceful squeezing of the shoulders to the chest or direct close to the fracture sites. the spiral fractures

to the right femur were caused by holding his knee and twisting the leg. the fracture it to the right to be out was caused by forceful gripping and twisting the leg. the other fractures to finley“s legs were caused by direct blunt force blows. there were 50 bruises, 11 abrasions and nine marks to his body. most of these bruises, abrasions were to finley“s head and face. i“m abrasions were to finley“s head and face. i'm sure these were imprint marks and they were shown he was held on the head with a specific force on a number of occasions. there were inflicted injuries caused most likely by pushing finley“s

feeding bottle into his mouth with excessive force or by a strike or forceful push against his mouth. there were extensive areas of burns on his left hand. the first area over his fingers were caused by contact burning. the area on the side of his hand and little finger were caused by a flame burning. these bands caused finley intense pain. —— these burns. the infection in finley“s bones because him deep throbbing pain. he would have had a fever, discomfort and suffering as a result of the pneumonia. the medical experts also identified that finley“s gland was severely depleted. this was a consequence of the severe or prolonged stress to finley“s body, trying to fight disease and infection. from all the

evidence, i am sure the fractures were inflicted on a two separate occasions. it may well have been more, but i cannot be sure of this. the first occasion was the 12th of december, 2020. the second occasion was between the afternoon of the 14th of december and the morning of the 16th of december. iam also i am also sure given the nature and number of other injuries and the location on finley“s body, that he was subject to repeated abuse on multiple occasions. 0nce was subject to repeated abuse on multiple occasions. once the injuries had been inflicted, finley“s daily experience was one of considerable pain, distress and suffering. the consequence of all the fractures to finley“s body was that it was obvious to the book are

due by december 16 that finley was very seriously injured and he was utterly miserable. finley was no longer able to sit up and play with his toys. he was no longer able to feed himself. everyday activities, such as changing his nappy, lifting his arms, putting outdoor clothing on him, or putting him in his pushchair all caused him severe pain. the pain in his fractured pelvis and if i do think it will have been alleviated by morphine and immobilising his body. he also know that finley was not eating his food. instead of gaining weight, he lost weight. that was because he had so many fractures, eating caused him pain and he was not well enough to eat. 0n pain and he was not well enough to eat. on top of that, his body was fighting the infection is that he

had. by the evening of december 23, he was plainly dying. there was nothing subtle about this at all, it was totally obvious to both of you. i now turn to some of the background. you met each other in the summer of 2017. stephen boden, you are 24 at that point. shannon marsden, you were 16. in no time at all you were inseparable, drawn together by your use of drugs and the unhappiness that youth out in your own lives at the time and your instant attraction to each other. you are, shannon marsden, were besotted with stephen boden, and within weeks... studio: you are watching bbc news. we are following sentencing remarks from derby crown court from mrs

justice tipples. she is the addressing stephen boden and shannon marsden, they had been convicted of murdering the ten months old son finley boden. for legal reasons, we can't give you all of the coverage being given in court, there are some elements we can't bring or report, thatis elements we can't bring or report, that is why we cut away. this is a very, very distressing case. the judge in her sentencing remarks referencing the fact that young finley, who was just ten months old, suffered 46 rib fractures. she said he had 12 other browns that were also broken. when paramedics were called, he had a cardiac arrest and later died in hospital. that there was infections to his bones, that he was infections to his bones, that he was infections to his bones, that he was in dirty and stained clouds, that the house was cluttered and there was faeces in the property. we

heard his daily life would have been filled with intense pain. thejudge said that finley was not eating food, that his daily activities which have been causing him pain. that there would be no doubt in his parents“ mind that their son was in pain and was gravely unwell. i want to bring in our correspond that in the newsroom who has been following this case for several weeks now. your reaction to what we were hearing in the court? as you said, it is quite distressing, because we are hearing the details of these injuries and how they would have made baby finley feel, what it would have been like for him, how it would have been like for him, how it would have hurt him to grieve, to eat. he couldn't do his normal activities, like set up and play with his toys. we have also been hearing about the condition of the home, which was

distressing enough. when in the police went in after finley“s death, they took photographs, and they showed a home that was filthy. there was faeces on the floor, one of finley“s bottles had mould growing on it. it was a dirty and squalid home. a lot of these details are really quite hard to listen to. the judge was directing her commentary very much to finlay“s parents. mrs very much to finlay's parents. mrs 'ustice very much to finlay's parents. mrs justice tipples. — very much to finlay's parents. mrs justice tipples, the judge during this case. it is worth noting that both finley“s parents both pleaded not guilty to the charges laid against him. mrs tipples was seen to be struggling to keep her emotions

in check, thejury be struggling to keep her emotions in check, the jury itself also. the jury in check, the jury itself also. the jury in this case has been excused from jury duty for life because this case was so distressing. we haven't seen, reporting, the emotion of finley“s parents. just remind us who stephen boden and shannon marsden r. we don't know an awful lot about them except their ages. as the judge was saying, we now they got together when shannon marsden was just 16, stephen boden i think is eight years older, so he was 24, so they have been together for quite a few years. there were suggestions in court that she was trying to seek help for domestic violence. the papers that i have seen showed that he did have a

history of violence. criminal court heard that she was trying to seek help to escape, but when police asked her if she would like to talk to them about that, perhaps give evidence about that, she absolutely refused. this is why the two of them were jointly found of murder, because may be stephen boden was the one who perpetrated most of it, but shannon marsden did not stop him. irate shannon marsden did not stop him. we heard mrs tipples talking about the fact that finley“s parents had repeatedly lied to paramedics, two social workers and two doctors in the hospital. we also heard there was heavy cannabis use. it has been reported that shannon marsden was using cannabis while she was pregnant with finley. there was also toxicology reports that showed the presence of cannabis in finley“s

bloodstream, which showed he had ingested cannabis sometime in the 24 hours prior to his death. we also know there was a long running work with social services in finley“s life. talk to us about some of the care that was in his short life. some of the social workers were involved even before finley was born, there were concerns about the parents then, about the way they were keeping the house. it emerged once a drug test wording done that shannon marsden had been using cannabis while she was pregnant with finley. irate cannabis while she was pregnant with finle . ~ ., , _ finley. we will return to derby crown court- _ finley. we will return to derby crown court. we _ finley. we will return to derby crown court. we may - finley. we will return to derby crown court. we may have - finley. we will return to derby crown court. we may have to| finley. we will return to derby i crown court. we may have to cut finley. we will return to derby - crown court. we may have to cut away for legal reasons. find crown court. we may have to cut away for legal reasons.— for legal reasons. and that is why there was cannabis _ for legal reasons. and that is why there was cannabis in _ for legal reasons. and that is why there was cannabis in finley's - for legal reasons. and that is why i there was cannabis in finley's blood there was cannabis in finley“s blood when he died. on top of that, it is

well established that cannabis causes high levels of anxiety, depression and restlessness due to lack of sleep and adversely affects any adult“s ability to parent a young child. i am sure it was the consequence it had on both of you and what you are finding it increasingly difficult to cope with both boys and regularly arguing with each other. by december ten the... we cut away again and frayed from mrs justice tipples we cut away again and frayed from mrsjustice tipples comment there in derby crown court. the bbc is not in control of that feed, it is coming from the court. you do not see the wider court room or finley boden“s parents, who had been sentenced. finley boden was a ten—month—old boy who died on christmas day 2020 during one of the covid lockdowns.

his family living on the outskirts of chesterfield, this court case taking place in derby. we have the live page running on the bbc news website and also the bbc app. just some of the comments thatjustice tipples has been making in her sentencing remarks. she said that both parents knew that he was dead when they dialled 999 on christmas day, that finley had been dead for half an hour, and five months later the paramedics who had been called arrived on the scene. when they did arrived on the scene. when they did arrive and that saw finley, they couldn't find a pulse. the house was unkempt and dirty. thejudge couldn't find a pulse. the house was unkempt and dirty. the judge said there was obvious marks around his mouth and nose, wins too. the paramedics ask for a history of what happened to finley from his parents, thejudge said that happened to finley from his parents, the judge said that they both lied to them. they had also lied about

finley having covid. he was rushed to hospital with shannon marsden, his mother, but nothing could be done. let“s return to derby crown court for more. done. let's return to derby crown court for more.— court for more. this was the first occasion that _ court for more. this was the first occasion that there _ court for more. this was the first occasion that there was - court for more. this was the first occasion that there was any - court for more. this was the first. occasion that there was any occasion that finley was unwell, and i am sure that by december 12 finley had been really seriously injured, and that was why he was so ill. i'm sure that was why he was so ill. i'm sure that it was on this occasion that some, orall of that it was on this occasion that some, or all of the rib fractures were inflicted on finley. othered bounds may also have been fractured on this occasion, but i cannot be sure which. on the afternoon of december 14... sure which. on the afternoon of december 14. . ._ sure which. on the afternoon of december14... ., , . december 14. .. that was mrs justice ti - les december 14. .. that was mrs justice tipples there — december 14. .. that was mrs justice tipples there in _ december 14. .. that was mrs justice tipples there in derby _ december 14. .. that was mrs justice tipples there in derby crown - december 14. .. that was mrs justice tipples there in derby crown court i tipples there in derby crown court detailing the known sequence of

events. saying there at that on december 12 it was evident that finley was really seriously injured. the exact sequence of events is difficult to that we know, because thin the“s parents, stephen boden and shannon marsden, had lied to paramedics and on occasion had stopped social workers from being able to enter the home to look at their young son. we have also heard about the issue of drugs in the home as well. the couple were drawn together by drugs, the judge said. they met in the summer of 2017 when stephen boden was 24 and shannon marsden was 16. she said the couple had become inseparable and was drawn together by their use of drugs and the unhappiness that both had failed in their lives at the time. we will have to cut away, dipped in and out of this coverage from derby crown court because of legal reasons. but

we have had some very distressing comments already, detailing the injuries that had been applied and bordered by young finley, 46 rib fractures, 12 other bones broken. thejudge said he fractures, 12 other bones broken. the judge said he would have fractures, 12 other bones broken. thejudge said he would have been in pain and simple things like getting dressed or going in his buggy would have caused him pain. that antibiotics could have treated some of the infections he was suffering from. that ultimately paramedics were called to the home because he had gone into cardiac arrest. it was known at the time of his passing that finley was not eating any more, that finley was not eating any more, that he was not putting on weight like you expect from a young child, but he was in losing weight. the judge said only parents know what is happening in their home, a small terrace house. let“s happening in their home, a small terrace house. let's hear more comments from thejudge.

terrace house. let's hear more comments from the judge. you terrace house. let's hear more comments from the judge. comments from the 'udge. you both knew full comments from the 'udge. you both knew run well _ comments from the 'udge. you both knew full well that — comments from the judge. you both knew full well that finley _ comments from the judge. you both knew full well that finley did - comments from the judge. you both knew full well that finley did not - knew full well that finley did not have covid, and you did this because you know that if anyone asked to see finley this was the perfect excuse why they could not do so and what they could not come inside your house. it was an excuse that worked because you are both persuasive and accomplished liar is and because of the continued fear which was associated with infection from covid at that time. by december 19 you both knew that finley was really, really, really ill, but a really bad chesty cough, runny eyes, and that he had no energy and wanted to sleep all day, and you could you could hear his chest all day rattling and wheezing. that was what you... more

sentencin: wheezing. that was what you... more sentencing remarks _ wheezing. that was what you... more sentencing remarks from _ wheezing. that was what you... more sentencing remarks from derby crown court. you are watching bbc news. we have the sentencing remarks from derby crown court following the conviction of shannon marsden and stephen boden for the murder of their ten one—month—old son, finley. i want to bring in my colleague in the newsroom following this case, who has also been listening into the sentencing remarks. what are your comments, thoughts of what you have been hearing so far? what strikes me when the judge was talking about covid providing the perfect opportunity for the couple to deny access to their home, it was interesting to see how covid actually gave them other opportunities much earlier in the pandemic and earlier in finley“s life. after he was taken away from their care, they set out to try and get him back and what they needed to do to achieve that was to so social

workers he was